Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 3

After two of our students had to reroute their arrival plans, we are thrilled that we are at last together as the final summer GLA Group!

With delicious traditional Ecuadorean empanadas in hand, we look forward to our journey to the Galapagos.

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 4

We woke up on a beautiful day in Quito! After getting our covid tests we all sat down for breakfast. After breakfast we had our daily orientation and ice breakers!

We asked each other:

• What is the strangest food you’ve ever had?
• If you could have any superpower what would it be an why?
• What candy would you describe yourself as?
• What do you eat with your fries?

An the most important question of all:

• Milk or cereal first?

After interviewing one of our fellow travelers, we would present our fellow group member to the rest of our GLA family!

Then we had free time till around 10, we all gathered on the deck and played some ice breaker games. We also wrote to our future selves! Then we had free time to bond.

At 11:30 we made our way over to a DELICIOUS truffle shop!

Then we had lunch! Lunch is the main meal in Ecuador, the course involves soap, rice, meat or fish, and vegetables. After our filling meals we headed off on the bus to the Statue of the Virgin Mary that looks over the whole city! The view was STUNNING! After the statue we headed to Quito’s main square. We spent our time at a local chocolate shop an learned about Ecuador’s coca bean an the chocolate industry, we even got to watch chocolate be made in front of us and try it!

Then we headed off to the main square (down the block). We got to see the President’s house which was a lot more accessible then the White House. We then walked some more and went inside 3 of the beautiful church’s in Quito. The the walls were fully covered in pure gold! We then walked into a local trinket shop underneath the church. Then we headed back to the bus. The bus dropped us off at the supermarket to pick up some yummy snacks that we “couldn’t live without”. Then we walked back to our home base. We had some free time before sitting down for dinner.

For dinner we had some meat, vegetables, and rice. After dinner we headed off to sleep earl, because we had an early morning the next day!

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 5

Although we woke up at 3am, and we were all super excited for the day! A

fter our 3:30 am breakfast, we set off to the airport to catch our two flights to the Galapagos!

Once we arrived on the islands, we had an hour of driving and a 20 min boat ride ahead of us.

After a delicious lunch, we visited the Darwin museum and then got the most amazing ice cream and crepes while being part of the community .

We can’t believe we’re finally here in the world-famous Galapagos! More to come!

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 6

Today we had a tough yet incredibly fun day of service.

We headed to the tortoise reserve/eco-farm where we will be working for the next few days here on the island.

The group worked hard to help cut down the invasive plants on the farm and gathered large rocks to support the baby endemic trees that we are going to plant in the future.

We also enjoyed a delicious lunch as a group and ended the day with a night in the nearby town!

-Regan and David

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 7

We thoroughly enjoyed our journey this morning to swim at Las Grietas! It was about a mile there after a quick ferry ride across the channel.

After swimming in the area for about an hour, we headed down to a beach nearby where if you got in the water, we saw parrot fish, shrimp, and golden stingrays. We then headed back to the hostel for lunch, and then headed to El Chato.

From there we collected some more rocks dug holes to plant some plants in. From there we went los gemelos, a set of sinkholes. We noticed some ferns, and we took a small fern and handed it to Fernando, who named it Fernie, and I think that was a good end to the day.

We can’t wait for more Galapagos adventures ahead!

-Elsa

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 8

With and early start to the day we headed over to El Chato for our daily service work. We made great progress with planting the trees and digging the holes!

After a couple of hours of work we headed back to the hostel to relax. Some of us went into town one last time, while others stayed in and had a movie night.

-Isabella

P.S. Here are some photos of us hard at work on these spectacular islands. The Galapagos are a treasure!

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 9

We woke up around 7:30 am for an adventure to Tortuga Bay! We took a short bus ride to the entrance of the beach, and we explored for around 25 minutes before we settled down.

After a couple hours, we all started heading back, majority of us chose to take the taxi boat, while the others walked back.

After lunch, we headed to El Chato Ranch for the last day of service, we finished up all the planting. And we even restored some other plants!

After we got back, we had dinner, then some of us chose to go to town for a nighttime excursion.

-Hannah

P.S. We hope you enjoy this group photo of us at the ecological reserve!

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 10

Today we started our morning with a two hour boat ride through the waves of the Pacific Ocean to San Cristobal. What an adventure!

After getting settled in at the new hotel, we enjoyed another local meal consisting of chicken, salad, potatoes, and rice.

After, we headed to the beach for a relaxing day filled with soccer and a chance to swim with the sea lions!

We then ended the night with another delicious meal and a night out on the town.

-Jess and the GLA Team

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 11

We started the day with a amazing breakfast at Rancho Manabita.

After breakfast, we went on a walk to Tijiretas. We snorkeled and swam with sea lions and sea turtles in beautiful blue waters. Wow!

When we were done swimming we went back to the hotel to rest and eat.  

After we were recharged, we when to a recycling workshop to learn how we can make useful things out of trash as part of being intentional in repurposing goods rather than simply replacing them or tossing them away.

Leave it to the Galapagos to be inventive about protecting the planet!

-Landon and the GLA Team

 

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 12

Today we woke up and got ready to go to the Lobos Islands to snorkel with the sea lions!

When we arrived at the island we were delighted to see a wide variety of Galapagos wildlife such as blue footed boobies and sea turtles.

Afterwards, we rejoiced over an evening meal of fried chicken and rice. Following such an amazing meal, we headed over to a local soccer stadium and played an intense game against very competitive locals. Unsurprisingly, we got destroyed in the soccer match by the locals with all their soccer skills.

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BLOG POST FOR AUGUST 13

Today was our last day in San Cristobal😢

However, we managed to push our sadness aside to focus on the action-packed day before us. We started by walking to La Loberia to go snorkeling and tan.

The sea turtles stopped by to give us one last hurrah while snorkeling!

On the walk back, we picked up trash along the shore to help keep the Galapagos clean and preserved for generations to come.

Following, we had some free time in town before the group activity. Taylor planned an exciting and CHALLENGING scavenger hunt that forced us to put our running shoes on.

We finished off our afternoon with more soccer and yoga by the ocean. Tonight we will be singing the night away with some well deserved karaoke. Overall would rate this day a 10/10!

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Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Our GLA students have all successfully touched down in Quito! With spinach and queso empanadas in hand and a full day of orientation and a city tour to look forward tomorrow, we are jumping right into our Ecuador adventures.

-Taylor (GLA Staff)

BLOG POST FOR JULY 18

Today we woke up to a Ecuadorian breakfast made by our wonderful hotel chefs. After eating, we played team building games to get to know our peers. We then traveled to a near by supermarket named Supermaxi! After stocking up on snacks for our journey ahead, we ate legume soup with POPCORN! It was delicious. Then rode the bus to the Virgin of El Panecillo, a statue that overlooks all of Quito. We then walked down the cobblestone streets of Quito and entered historical chapels, their walls lined in pure gold. Finally, for the highlight of the day, we learned about the production of chocolate from artisanal Ecuadorian chocolatiers. Que chevere (how cool)!! Now we’re heading back to base camp for dinner to finish off a great first day.

-by Cate

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

Written by Rachel

Today we woke up bright and early at 5:40 AM to travel to San Cristobal in the Galápagos Islands! The plane trip went by very quickly and was super smooth, and pretty soon we were landing on the island and getting a glimpse of our home for the next few days. After getting through immigration, we quickly arrived at the hotel, settled in, and enjoyed a delicious lunch of chicken and rice at the local restaurant nearby!

Afterwards, we headed back to the hotel and got ready to walk to the beach! Along the way, and after meeting our wonderful guide Wilson, we got our first glimpses of the sea lions, crabs, iguanas, and birds( including herons and blue footed boobies!), which was so exciting and certainly was a highlight of the day! We then enjoyed a wonderful time of swimming in the ocean and playing games on the beach. Then, we arrived back at the hotel, showered, and had a lovely dinner of pasta as a nice and delicious way to end the night( and followed by a little ping pong!) Tomorrow we get to snorkel! Everyone is super excited and cannot wait to explore this island further!

 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Written by Alex

Today we woke up for breakfast at 830. We then embarked on a long walk filled with many wrong turns. We finally reached our first snorkel spot and the wildlife was breathtaking. The interested sea lions or sea wolfs as the locals call them were excited for company. The sea turtles were also present every way we looked. It was truly an amazing experience and everyone can’t wait to get back in the water tomorrow! After lunch, the group had a lesson on cleaning up trash, keeping the island clean, and repurposing trash. Finally, we finished the day with a soccer game with some of the locals. A great end to an exciting day!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21

Written by Ana Sophia

Today we had breakfast at 8:30. We filled ourselves with delicious fruits and for the coffee drinkers, delicious Ecuadorian coffee. We then went to a new location for snorkeling. This one was at a beach. We saw sea lions lounging and nursing. We got to even take some selfies with them and play games on the beach surrounded by the baby sea lions. When we went into the water we saw turtles, a rainbow fish, and fish with yellow lips that stared us down. Once we got out of the water we played a fun game on the sand. In addition to snorkeling, we did a beach clean up inspired by yesterday’s talk from a local on the importance of reusing and recycling. Later on, after some down time, we played more soccer with locals. We also got home made ice cream from a local business! We ended the day with a pizza dinner and swam in the pool at the restaurant. It was another really fun and full day.

 

 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 21 (PART TWO)

Boat trip!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Today we started the day with a very good breakfast. Then we went to Isla Lobos where we hiked around and looked at the birds like the blue footed boobies and lots of sea lions. After that we went to a beach nearby the island and we jumped from the top of the boat and then we swam to the sand and looked at the baby sea lions that were playing by the shore. We went back to San Cristobal, had dinner and then we did some really fun karaoke.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

Today was our final day in San Cristobal. We started off with a yummy breakfast full of eggs, toast, and fruit. After breakfast, we boarded our boat for our ride to Santa Cruz Island! After a 2 hour, somewhat bumpy ride (which left a couple of us soaked) we made it to our next Island! After settling into our new hotel and rooms, we sat down to lunch and rested after the long boat ride.

We spent the rest of the afternoon/evening exploring el malecón (the Main Street of the island). Many of us went shopping for souvenirs, discovering new restaurants and talking with friendly locals. We can’t wait to walk el malecón again and explore more, especially our friend at the art gallery, Sarah Darling.

After coming back to the hotel to a yummy dinner, we all got comfy and had a movie night that the amazing hotel staff set up for us. We decided on the Incredibles and it was a great way to end a long day!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

Today we had really nice and soft rolls with a small potato patty for breakfast. We went to a ravine filled with water that runs through the entire island of Santa Cruz. We swam there for a bit and saw a few schools of small fish. We then went to a small snack stop to get churros and empanadas which were very good.

We then came back to the hostel to eat a proper lunch to recharge for our first day of service which started at 3 PM. We started collecting rocks to guard the plants from the giant tortoises who would kill the small trees. After about 2 hours of work, we drove back and had dinner, and later went out to the town to get waffles and ice cream.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

This Sunday we had a full day of service at the tortoise sanctuary. We dug up a lot of rocks, cleared invasive plants, and planted lots of endemic trees. We also had a great lunch and lots of empanadas. We walked around the sanctuary and got to explore the lava caves that formed there. We finished the day with a great dinner and a trip to a sweet shop in town.

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 14

We are here in Ecuador and ready for the adventures ahead! Check out the Andes in the background of our first photo! Stay tuned for more updates.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 15

Hello from Quito! My name is Nikki and i’m a senior from California who will be the first leader of the program. Today was our first full day and it was so nice to meet everyone from all around the country(CA, CO, LA, MD, IA, NY)! We started off with an early breakfast of eggs, blackberry juice, watermelon slices, and toast, then did a quick orientation on the deck. Then, we had a delicious lunch of chicken, plantains, rice, with passion fruit sauce, and then boarded a bus to go to the center of the world(literally)!

At the location learned about various native indigenous tribes, bought souvenirs, did equator-related activities(it is a lot harder than it looks to walk in a straight line and balance an egg there) and took a selfie with a llama(that we named carrot)! Afterwards, we picked up some Ecuadorian snacks from a local grocery store then headed back to the hotel for dinner. Thanks for reading the first blog post, and hello to my family and friends who are reading this 😉

BLOG POST FOR JULY 17

Today was our first full day on the island of Santa Cruz! We woke up to a delicious breakfast of yucca and star fruit juice! We loaded up on the bus and headed to our first day of service work! We helped to remove invasive species and made room for endemic ones by digging holes and putting rocks around them! We had many tortoise friends come and visit us throughout the day! For lunch we had many different things starting with a soup and then the main and dessert! After lunch we had more work and finished off our day at the refuge playing baseball with passion fruits and sticks! We ended our day covered in mud wishing for a shower to come our way! Then we showered!

Written by: Mia

BLOG POST FOR JULY 19

We started the day off early with four hours of service. Today, we managed to plant and water 78 trees, which puts us in first place for the most progress made! Then, we hopped in the bus and headed to learn about the sinkholes. Pictures definitely don’t do it justice. We spent some time exploring the city streets before a basketball game with a local Ecuadorian team. Although we’re not quite sure which team won, the boys and Ella played great and we all had a great time watching. We finished off our night enjoying a delicious dinner.

Written by: Alexa

BLOG POST FOR JULY 20

Today started off with a whole 30 MINUTES of extra sleep. Everyone packed up for a beach day at Tortuga Bay but we quickly discovered that this adventure was more of a hike than we thought, walking about 4 miles in total! After enjoying the beautiful white sand, clear water, and all that walking, we were greeted with a delicious lunch at base. After a few minutes of downtime we ventured back out for our final day of service!! We took the liberty of pre-celebrating all of our success by ordering empanadas at the lodge near where we worked. A few hours later and our work was complete, planting nearly 80 trees in total and setting a new record. Drenched in mud, rain, and even some tortoise 💩, we hopped back on the bus but got caught in a herd of cattle before making a crucial pit stop at a local bakery for plenty of delicious chocolate bread. Once we made it home we had yet another delicious meal to end the long day!

Writing and photos by: Dearbhaile

 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 22

Today we woke up bright and early to a delicious breakfast of chocolate banana crepes along with croissants from a local bakery. After breakfast we started our adventure to an interactive museum where we learned the history and discovery of the islands. During this, we learned about Charles Darwin and the formation of the islands. From the museum, we hiked to the exact spot where Darwin’s ship landed and spent time exploring the water with snorkels.

After lunch we hit town for shopping and ended the afternoon with a workshop where we were able to learn and then create jewelry out of recycled garbage. At night we played against a local soccer team along with another GLA group and completed the night with dinner and group time with cards and music.

Written by: Emma

 

 

BLOG POST FOR JULY 23

We started off our day bright and early and headed to breakfast at 7AM.

We wished our fellow GLA group a warm farewell and we walked down to the dock where our boat was waiting for us. We took the boat to a blue footed booby colony.

We snorkeled with sea lions and turtles after, and then headed back to our hotel where we had free time for a few hours.

We headed to play soccer with the locals at the park and went to a local bakery. To end our day we went to play ping pong and headed back to the hostel.

-Cruz and the GLA Team

BLOG POST FOR JULY 24

This morning we woke up a refreshing 30 minutes later than usual, greeted with a breakfast consisting of eggs, meat, and plantains. Shortly after we made our way into multiple taxis to begin our beach day. Once we arrived we walked about 5 minutes to reach our destination where half the group partook in snorkeling whilst the other half sun bathed. Shortly after a sea lion decided to greet us with sandy flippers. After the beach we returned to the hostel we’re currently staying in and enjoyed a nice rest. At 1:00 we had a meal of chicken and rice , needless to say it was not mid, but delicious instead. For a mid day snack we enjoyed some cake and ice cream.

About mid afternoon the group wrote about their goals for the future and collectively decided we would work towards being mindful in life, not only mindful of others but of ourselves and surroundings. That didn’t go as planned,but we are still working on our goals individually and as a whole. We had time to relax after we walked around the town before we headed to a fantastic Italian restaurant for pizza, swimming, and karaoke, ending our last night in San Cristóbal wonderfully.

Written by: Ella

BLOG POST FOR JULY 25

We started our day with empanadas for breakfast and then we had free time for our last few hours on the Galápagos Islands. Next we headed to the airport where we said goodbye to our naturalist guide and friend Fernando. Once we arrived in Quito a bus took us to the hotel where we had an awesome dinner and then we headed to bed.

Written by: Tara

Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

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Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG FOR JULY 1

All our students have safely made it to the middle of the world! With empanadas in hand we’ve made our way to home base and look forward to a full day tomorrow touring some of Quito’s treasures. GLA students were already sharing music and laughs by the time we reached them as they all traveled on the same flight. Here’s the first round of roommate groups.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Written by Annalise

The morning was filled with icebreaker activities such as “Where the Warm Wind Blows” and group discussions; everyone became close within hours. After a delicious lunch, we became immersed in the Ecuadorean world of chocolate, participating in an informational seminar tasting of course. Alex directed our group in a wonderful tour of the Virgin Mary statue that overlooks the entire capitol city, educating our group about the several magnificent Catholic Churches in Quito.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Written by Charlotte

Today was an early wake up call at 4am for our official arrival in the Galapagos! We spent about 3 hours flying and continued our action packed day on the island. We explored the town, sighting lots of native wildlife already. We started our exploration with the museum of San Cristobal and finished with a night on the town. The mayor of Miami was visiting the island so the town square was filled with ice cream and music.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Written by Ellie

Today was our first full day in San Cristobal! After breakfast, we started the day off with going snorkeling. The group saw multiple huge sea turtles among other wildlife. Once everyone was done snorkeling, we headed back for lunch. After lunch, we did an activity where we reflected on our goals for this trip. Our afternoon activity was going to a recycling workshop with Local artist Caty where we made recycled rugs or bags out of t-shirts. Following the workshop, we went to dinner at the usual restaurant. To finish out the day, the group went to a local soccer field to practice for our game tomorrow.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 5

Written by Jordyn

Today was packed with lots of activity. We stared off with snorkeling. We saw TONS of super cool animals. The sea lions were definitely the highlight. In the afternoon we headed off to play soccer. Before our actual planned game, we played some unanticipated matches against the Ecuadorians. A few hours later, it was time for the moment we all waited for: the soccer game. After a long and hard battle against the very skilled kids, the game ended in a 3-3 tie, making our record for the day an impressive 5-2-1.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 6

Written by Meghan

Although we had to wake up super early, today was SO fun! The boat ride to Loberia was initially so beautiful and on the island we saw blue footed boobies and got to go snorkeling off of the boat! In the water the sea lions were so playful and we even saw jellyfish. Later we got to go back and play soccer and ended the night with Karaoke which everyone got super into! It was so fun watching everyone have so much fun singing together!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Written by Myra

After the 2 hour boat ride we had heard so much about (that wasn’t actually that bad), we saw tiny sharks and stingrays swimming under the dock. We got to see our new hotel we’ll be staying at for the next few days, then got ready for service at El Chatos Ranch. We dug holes, moved rocks, cut branches down with a machate, and watered baby plants. Then we got cheese empanadas and saw two male turtles try to mate!

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Written by Sofia

Today was a very active and in day! We started our mornin off with a good breakfast before we headed to Las grietas to swim and jump into their natural pool. After a good hour at the natural pool we headed to a nearby beach to relax and even got to use natural exfoliater from the rocks. Lastly we headed back to El Chato Ranch and continued our work from the previous day.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Written by Sean

Today was a very special day because we were able to celebrate Jordyn’s birthday. Today we went to the El Chato Ranch for many hours, digging holes, moving rocks, and cutting down invasive trees. After work, we had a scheduled basketball game against a local team, that we won. Next, we came back to the hotel to eat dinner. Finally, after dinner we went into town to souvenir shop and explore the island of Santa Cruz.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 10

Written by Devin

This morning we planted endemic plants at El Chato. We ate wild guava and passion fruit they were delicious! We enjoyed knowing we helped preserve the Galapagos ecosystem. In the afternoon we visited the Charles Darwin center and learned about the many varieties of tortoises and iguanas on the islands. We finished the day off with a delicious plate of pasta.

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BLOG POST FOR JULY 11

Written by Lukas

Today we started the day off by heading to Tortuga Bay at 8:30. There was a little bit of a hike to get to the beach, but it was worth it.

The sand was phenomenal and the water was so blue. Everyone took pictures together on the beach for the last time and eventually we headed back for lunch, which was ceviche.

After lunch, most of us took a nap until it was time to go to the supermarket and we bought brownie mix, which we baked after dinner.

We hung out together after dinner and prepared for our flight on the following day (and eventually went to sleep!).

BLOG POST FOR JULY 12

Written by Sam

Today was an exciting day because we were able to celebrate Calista’s birthday. We started our day off with a yoga session and a delicious breakfast before leaving to the airport to fly back to Quito. After we arrived at the hotel, we set up festive decorations and shared chocolate cake for Calsita’s birthday.

BLOG POST FOR JULY 13

Written by Theo and Talia

We started our morning with a pre travel covid test and an energetic salsa lesson. Then, we traveled to the center of the world or 0 latitude on the Ecuador line. We also learned about the cultures of the different groups living in Ecuador. After this, we had a great lunch at Crepes and Waffles and went souvenir shopping at a local artesanal market. Once we finished up with our shopping, we walked back to the hostel. We had dinner and a closing ceremony to complete our adventure here in Ecuador.

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Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!

Here are a few things you can expect:

1. We typically receive 2-3 blog posts per week here at GLA Headquarters from our program staff and students, so please don’t be alarmed if you don’t see a blog post daily – that’s totally normal.
2. Blog updates sent on weekends may not be posted until Monday.
3. Due to many factors, including but not limited to internet accessibility, photos may not always be available to post onto the blog. Sometimes onsite program staff are only able to send text back to Headquarters, where our team updates the blog.

Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.

For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.

-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team

---

Click here to jump down to the most recent posts!

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 28, 2021

Hello everyone! We are still waiting for our last student (who missed her flight yesterday), but the group that is here is safe and sound! Stay tuned for more updated from our Galapagos program!

Jenny

BLOG POST FOR JUNE 29, 2021

Today we began the two week long journey through Ecuador by starting off with orientation and some fun icebreaker games. Afterwards, we played several rounds of BS and Texas Hold ‘em and had a wonderful lunch in the cafeteria. Once we had finished eating, we traveled throughout old Quito and visited a chocolate shop, where we learned about the process of making chocolate and sampled some. Later, we visited several churches and immersed ourselves in the history of catholicism in Ecuador. Finally, we returned back to our hotel and recharged from our exciting day of adventures.

Written by: Dylan

BLOG POST FOR JULY 1

Started off at 3:30 am… not ideal in any way. The flights were short and completely worth it after seeing the beauty of the Galapagos. We had a wonderfully informative tour of the island of Santa Cruz by our guide, Fernando, and listened to a little classic 80s rock on the way into town. We got our rooms and headed back out to the Charles Darwin breeding center, and we were able to see some tortoises up close and personal. We then had free time to explore some of the nearby stores and see a stunning sunset from the shore. We ended the day with
a meal from the fabulous cooks at Arena Negra, and we are ready to go for tomorrow!

Written by: Jaden

BLOG POST FOR JULY 2

Today we started our service project. We got to the site, El Chato, and had the greatest lemongrass tea and coffee. Then we got to work cutting down invasive trees, digging holes for endemic trees we’ll be planting later on, and gathering rocks to protect the new trees after planting. For lunch we ate at the on-site restaurant, and most of us agreed that it was the best lunch yet. After lunch, we had a stretch and got back to work. Finally, at 5, we finished up and drove to two sinkholes – Los Gemelos. We learned how they were made and hiked around them. It was such a pretty view, especially as the sun was in the early stages of setting.

Written by: Cayden

BLOG POST FOR JULY 3

Howdy everyone tuning into the GLA blogpost! My name is Kayden Hutchings from bentonville Arkansas and I was the team leader for today. And Wow!!! We have had a wonderful day. From swimming in the collapsed lava tube to doing service high in the hills, all the way till the end of the day when we watched sharks feed and played soccer with the locals. Definitely one for the books.

First off, Just let me say it was wonderful finally dipping in the water here. Though a little chilly everyone had a blast and many of us got some great underwater footage on our action cameras. We saw a nice amount of fish for being an inland saltwater lake, and many of us even caught glimpses of a parrotfish.

After the adventure in the natural pool we had another wonderful lunch with the amazing hosts at the hostel. And ran off to do some more service in the mountains. During which we saw courtship behaviors in the giant Galapagos tortoises. Unfortunately there was no copulation but it was amazing to see such a display in person. We even were able to start planting some of the Escalasia trees.

The final hurrah of the day happened after dinner; We went to the harbor to watch black tip reef sharks feed. Again there was some great footage on the underwater cameras and it was fascinating to watch these apex predators eviscerating their prey in the clear water. As an added bonus a sea turtle stopped in to say hello to the group. As many of us got bored of watching fish we wandered and found some locals playing soccer in the waterfront, and of course we joined in! And even though most of us had a language barrier It was great to be interacting with people in the universal communication of sports.

Overall today was just amazing. Wonderful experiences between the group coupled with the near perfect wildlife of the islands. Although our day was amazing the majority of us are missing the wonderful people back home. So I am shouting out to all of those who miss us! We feel the same way. I’m also making a shoutout to my wonderful family and girlfriend! I miss you tons!

Thanks for reading tonight, But we need our rest for another big day tomorrow! Adios!

Written by: Kayden

BLOG POST FOR JULY 4

Woke up early to breakfast from our amazing hostel family, then it was off to Tortuga Bay where we swam in a crystal blue ocean in the midst of an abundance of wildlife.

We re-energized with lunch and headed off to our worksite where we did our last day of service clearing brush and planting trees. We wrapped up our day with a tour of lava tunnels and another great dinner. Next stop – San Cristóbal!

Written by: Allie

BLOG POST FOR JULY 7

Today we all went to the restaurant at 7:30 am for breakfast. After breakfast we walked to were we were going swimming for the day. On the way there we stopped by a museum to talk about the history of the Galapagos. After that we all went swimming , we saw countless numbers of fish, played with sea lions and turtles. After swimming we walked back towards the hotel to get our laundry from yesterday, then went to lunch.

After lunch we walked back to the hotel to take showers , after we had free time for two hours before we talked to this women who converted trash into art. We all make necklaces and others made earrings. We all walked back to the hotel and sat on the roof top for about an hour to watch the last seconds of the sunset. We had dinner at 7:00 pm. Then we did a little karaoke at 8:30 pm with the other GLA group that we intersected with in the middle of the trip.

Written by: Thomas

BLOG POST FOR JULY 8

Today we ate breakfast and headed to the docks. We boated over to an island where we took a hike around. We saw Blue-footed boobies And Frigatebirds. We learned about their different mating behaviors and the different species on the island.

Then we went snorkeling along the coast and swam on the beach. We ate snacks on the boat prepared by the crew before heading back to San Cristóbal for lunch. We had some free time to shop before dinner and then played a game of soccer against the locals. We ended the night with pizza and dessert.

Written by: Vivian

BLOG POST FOR JULY 9

Today we had breakfast at 8:00 am. After breakfast we went back to the hotel to get all of our stuff because we had to leave by 9:00 am. We then walked around for a bit and did our last shopping until 10:40 am. We all met back up and walked to the airport. Our first flight was to Guayaquil, then our final flight to Quito. Finally we took a bus to the hotel we first stayed at in the beginning of the trip( Hotel Rincon Escandinavo). We arrived and went straight to dinner around 8:00 pm. We played a game together and then went to bed early.

Written by: Patrick